Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba inaugurated the Fifteenth BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting. Inaugurating BIMSTEC minister meeting Prime Minister Deuba said that the establishment of BIMSTEC twenty years ago was a milestone in regional cooperation.
In his statement, Prime Minister Deuba cautiously selected his words not to hurt any of two big neighbors which are currently in border deadlock. Stating Nepal’s position he said, “I am happy to note that Panchsheel–the five principles of peaceful co-existence -that are derived from the teachings of Lord Buddha, provides an enduring framework for managing harmonious interstate relations. I believe these principles make meaningful contributions in promoting peace, stability, security and development, which are key aims of BIMSTEC.
“I recall with pleasure my participation at the very first BIMSTEC Summit held in Bangkok in 2004. I was leading the Nepali delegation as Prime Minister at this Summit when Nepal joined BIMSTEC as a full-fledged member. I would like to commend all those engaged formatting the momentum of the BIMSTEC process,” said Prime Minister Deuba. “BIMSTEC is a bridge connecting two dynamic sub-regions of Asia. This region houses more than a fifth of the world population, a majority of which are youth. “Both these sub-regions are blessed with vast and diverse natural resources ranging from the deep seas to the high mountains. If these resources are harnessed properly and utilized efficiently prosperity will not be out of reach of our peoples.”
“The BIMSTEC region, like any other region, confronts the dangers of transnational crimes. Militant extremism, human, arms and drug trafficking have deeply disturbed peace and harmony in our societies. Terrorism continues to be the greatest threat to peace, democracy, development and good neighborliness. Nepal firmly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Terrorism cannot be justified on any grounds,” said Prime Minister Deuba.
Prime minister said that climate change, natural calamities and disasters also pose serious threats to our very survival citing Nepal’s vulnerability to natural disasters as evidenced by the great earthquakes in 2015. “We are also bearing the brunt of climate change despite our negligible contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. To combat all these challenges, we need stronger partnership and deeper collaboration among ourselves,” said Prime Minister Deuba.